There are numerous potential emergency situations requiring safety devices which provide a portable supply of breathing gas. These situations typically include the presence of matter, such as smoke or water, which obstructs normal breathing. Such situations include vehicles accidentally submerged underwater, vehicle fires, building fire, chemical fires, vapor leaks, and the like.
In these emergency situations, occupants of the vehicles or buildings require a source of breathing gas. The source of breathing gas must meet certain criteria. It must be sufficiently small so as not to obstruct the occupant's normal use of the vehicle or area of the building. Further, the source of the breathing gas must be sufficiently portable to provide the occupant with a source of breathing gas while he effectuates an escape from the emergency surroundings. Typically a five or ten minute breathing gas supply has been provided for such emergencies. This relatively small amount of gas can be supplied in a compact apparatus.
However, another aspect of these emergency situations is frequently overlooked by the prior art. When an occupant of a vehicle or a building is inundated with water or smoke, his surroundings are substantially hidden from view. When vehicles, such as trains, airplanes, and automobiles, are submerged in water, their interior portions typically become blanketed in darkness. Further, smoke filled rooms or vehicles have similarly reduced visibility. The occupant needs to have both a supply of breathing gas and a source of light available to effectuate an escape in the relatively short amount of time typically available.
Consequently, a need exists for a safety device which provides both a source of breathing gas and a source of light.